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Grade 12 learner emerges as most bemedalled athlete for PH in the 9th ASEAN Schools Games

Grade 12 learner emerges as most bemedalled athlete for PH in the 9th ASEAN Schools Games

July 26, 2017

PASIG CITY, July 26, 2017 – Maurice Sacho Ilustre, Grade 12 student from De La Salle, Zobel emerged as the most bemedalled athlete for Philippines as the 9th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Schools Games (ASG) came to a close.

The Filipino tanker sealed his ASEAN Schools Games campaign with four golds in boys 200m butterfly (2:03.67), 200m freestyle (1:53.21), 100m freestyle (52.23), and 100m butterfly (55.97). He also bagged two silvers in the 400m freestyle (4:05.44) and 50m butterfly (25.61).

Ilustre swept all of his seven events in last May’s Palarong Pambansa in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique. He said his four-week training camp in the United States (US) is a big factor to his performance.

In the 7th ASG held in Brunei in 2015, Ilustre got a silver in the 100m freestyle (53.70) and bronze in the 200m freestyle (1:55.61).

“We are very proud with the improved performance of Maurice. He came a long way to achieve this feat. You have placed the Philippines in the swimming sports map,” DepEd Assistant Secretary and Senior Ministry Official Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq. said.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones gave her full support to the 224-strong Philippine contingent. The education chief is very passionate with dreams and reforms for sports in order to be at par with neighboring regions. Through the help of Secretary Briones, Maurice, along with other medalists from DepEd, will receive a cash incentive.

Ilustre, who belongs to a family of swimmers, started with the sport when he was four years old and was coached by his father.

“It is the first time I heard the Philippine National Anthem play coming from a training camp. It felt really good,” Ilustre proudly said.

Ilustre mentioned that there should be more opportunities for athletes, and when they see an opportunity to learn, they should take it.

Ilustre’s dream is to get in the 2020 Olympics and his journey started during the training camp in the US.

“This competition is also part of that journey towards the 2020 Olympics,” he excitedly said.
The ASG, organized by the ASEAN Schools Sports Council (ASSC), aims to promote ASEAN solidarity among youths while providing opportunities for student-athletes to benchmark their sporting talents. This year’s theme is “Together as ONE,” representing the goal of ASEAN’s youths to achieve solidarity through school sports, friendly competition and cultural exchange. The students will compete in the following sports: athletics, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, and tenpin bowling.

Singapore hosted the annual ASG for the second time since its introduction in 2009. This year’s event coincided with ASEAN’s 50th anniversary and the first time all 10 member-countries—Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and first-timer Myanmar— competed together.

For more information about the 9th ASG, visit www.deped.gov.ph/9th-asean-schools-games.